Shorthand type-writer.



Patented Feb. 1900,

Y D R A H F 2 5 3 4 6 0 N SHORTHAND TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed Dec. 31', 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sha0i I.

| HQ, wnsumsrm u Patented Feb. I3, I900.

D on A H F J SHORTHAND TY PE. WRITER.

(Application filed. Dec. 31, 1897.)

2 Shaets8heet 2.

(No Model.)

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NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN FRANKLIN HARDY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SHORTHAND TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,352, dated February 13, 1900.

Application filed December 31,1897. $eria1 No. 664,385. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FRANKLIN HARDY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Short hand Type-Writers, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 16,855,

dated July 29, 1896; in Germany, No."95,735,

dated October 30, 1896; in France,No.26l,649, dated November 26, 18-96, and in Austria, No. 47/243, dated January 26, 1897,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to those type-writers in which the printing mechanisms are so or- Patents Nos. 583,620 and 583,621, granted to myself June 1, 1897.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and portable machine of this nature which will be very durable in use and which can be operated very rapidly with ease.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated by the drawings and described herein is particularly adapted for stenographic purposes and has only a few keys, but features of the invention may be applied to typewriting machines of other kinds.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of this stenographic machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the broken line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the broken line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig.4 is an edge view of the platen-belt that is used in this machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the typebails bearing printingprongs.

The rectangular base-plateA has upturned sides A, that support the operative parts of the machine. In this machine there are six type-bails 0, made of strips of metal bent into rectangles of different sizes. These bails are placed one within the other, as shown in Fig. 1, and are supported by pins C that project upwardly from transversely-extend ing bars, as showh in Figs. 2 and 3. Springs 13-, attached to the base-plate, are connected with the rear ends of these bails, so as to keep their front ends raised, Figs. 2 and 3. A plurality of prongs 5, Figs. 2, 3, and 5, project downwardly from the edge of the side B of each of the bails in such manner that they form two rows of projections transversely across the machine. The extremities of these prongs form the type or marking-points, and they may be shaped to form any desired characters, preferably long and short dashes and dots, after the manner fully set forth in my prior patents. Finger-keys c are connected erably being two keys attached to each bail, Fig. 1.

On a shaft 1, that is supported by bearings A so as to extend from front to back near one of the side walls, is a ratchet-wheel 2 and a drum 3. On a short parallel shaft on the other side of the machine a drum 4 is mounted, and passing across the machine near the center, below the printing projections and over these drums, is an endless'belt 5, preferthis belt at equal distances from each other are platens 6, as shown in Fig. 4.

A lever E is pivoted by a stud O to one of the side walls, and projecting from this lever beneath and in the path of one side of all of the bails is a bar E. This lever is maintained in its highest position by a spring E wound about the pivot-stud, and it is provided with a finger-piece e, by means of which it may be depressed, Figs. 1 and 3.

A pawl E depends from the lever E in such manner as to rest against the ratchetwheel 2 on the shaft 1, Fig. 3. hen the keys are depressed, the bails are rocked on their pivot pins against the pull of their springs, and the printing-prongs attached to the bails are moved downwardly toward the platen belt. Each key as it is depressed brings one edge of its bail into contact with the bar E, so as to rock the lever E and depress the pawl E. This causes the pawl to pass over a tooth of the ratchet-wheel 2, and when the key is released the pawl-lever E is returned to its normal position by means of the spring E to advance the ratchet-wheel and rotate the shaft 1 and drum 3, so that when the bail is moved the positions of the ably formed of a steel band, and attached to with the sides B of the type-bails, there prefplatens are changed, Figs. 1 and By means of this mechanism at each depression of a key the character above the platen that is beneath the paper is impressed, and as the .key rises the platen beneath the character printedis advanced a step to one side. As the characters on the printed projections from the bails are only impressed where there is a platen beneath the paper, the impressions appear in lines extending across the machine from left to right. These lines, however, if the paper is fed at right angles to the typebails, will be oblique to the path of its movement, as set forth in my prior patent, No. 583,621; but if the paper is fed angularly, as illustrated in Fig. 1, this will be rectified and the lines will appear practically at right angles with the edges of the paper. The platens are spaced on the belt so that when one leaves the right-hand edge of the paper the next will appear at the left-hand edge of the paper, so that another line will be printed on this platen until it passes from beneath the righthand edge of the paper, as did the platen before it.

The paperRis supplied from a paper-roller S, that is supported by arbors U, projecting inwardly from the side walls, Fig. 1. As stated, these arbors project at an angle with the line of the type-bails, so that the paper will be fed at an angle which will correct the angular impressions of the characters due to the step-by-step advance of the paper at each depression of a key.

The paper is fed by the rollers G and H, that are supported by the side walls parallel with the paper-roller and at an angle with the type-bails. The shaft of the roller II is provided with a worm-wheel H, that meshes 'with a worm 7, mounted on the shaft- 1, that bears one of the platen-drums, and is advanced by the pawl and ratchet-wheel at each upward movement of a key. By means of this arrangement the rollers G and H are rotated and advance the paper from front to back with a step-by-step movement in positive relation to the movement of the platens from side to side of the machine, Figs. 1 and 3.

The inking-ribbon L is Wound upon two shafts J and K, that are supported by the side walls so as to extend transversely of the machine, parallel with the type-bails, Figs. 1 and 3. The shaft K at one end, outside of the side wall, bears a gear K, that meshes with a gear J on the shaft J. Connected with the gear J is a gear 12, that meshes with a pinion mounted upon a shaft 8, that extends transversely of the machine, and on the end opposite the pinion bears a worm-wheel 9, that meshes with the worm 10 on the pawl and ratchet-wheel operated shaft 1, Figs. 1 and 3. By these means the inking-ribbon, which is sufliciently wide to extend across the machine beneath the entire length of the projections from the sides 13 of the type-bails, is advanced step by step after each depression of a key, together with the paper-feed and platen movement. The ribbon is wound upon the shafts in opposite directions, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the operation of the machine either of the gears J or K are fastened to their respective shafts by tightening the proper nut,.

while the other gear is left free to turn loosely, the result of this being that the ribbon is wound on the shaft that is rotated by reason of the securing of the gear to it, while the other shaft turns freely and allows the ribbon to be unrolled from it. When the ribbon is entirely unwound from one shaft, it is merely necessary to loosen the gear on the shaft upon which it is wound and tighten .the gear belonging to the empty shaft, and then the direction of motion of the ribbon will be reversed, so that it will be rewound upon the empty shaft.

In the six-key machine described herein and illustrated. by the drawings the broad uppermost key is intended to be used as the spacekey, but it will be understood that either of the keys may be utilized, if preferred.

I claim as my invention 1. In a type-writer having similar charac= ters arranged in one or more rows obliquely to the path of the paper when it passes through the machine, an endless belt bearing platens, substantially as specified.

2. In a type-writer having similar charac= ters arranged in one or more rows, an endless belt bearing platens that are moved transversely of the machine after each movement of the characters, substantially as specified.

3. In a type-writer, a feeding mechanism with the printing characters arranged transversely of the machine, an endless belt bearing platens arranged transversely of the ma chine, and a paper feeding mechanism ar ranged to advance the paper through the ma chine by a continuous step-by-step longitudinal movement of the paper imparted by the movement of the keys, substantially as speci= lied.

4. In a type-writer having similar charac= ters arranged in one or more rows, an endless belt bearing platens, both rows of characters and the belt being arranged obliquely to the path of the paper when it passes through the machine, substantially as specified.

.5. In a type-Writer, the combination with a row of similar printing characters of an end less belt bearing platens that are movable in relation to the printing characters, substantially as specified.

6. In a type-writer, in combination, bails bearing printing characters, a pawl and ratchet-wheel mechanism operated by the movement of either of the bails, an endless belt bearing platens and moved by the pawl and ratchet-wheel mechanism, and a paperfeed operated by the pawl and ratchet-wheel mechanism, substantially as specified.

7. In a type-writer, in combination, bails bearing printing characters, a pawl and fro ratchet-Wheel mechanism operated by the movement of either of the bails, an endless belt bearing platens and moved by the pawl and ratchet-Wheel mechanism, a paper-feed operated by the movement of the pawl and ratchet-wheel mechanism, and an inking-rib bon mechanism operated by the pawl and ratchet-wheel mechanism, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 10 my hand in the presence of the two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN FRANKLIN HARDY.

Witnesses:

HAROLD WADE, HARRY B. BRODY. 

